W

est Java Police have detained two men for allegedly helping migrants to transit illegally through Indonesia. The migrants include those whose boat sank off South Cianjur last July.

The ill-fated boat was en route to Australia when it capsized. On board were 204 migrants from Sri Lanka, Iraq and Iran, 15 of whom drowned.

'€œThe two suspects provided land and sea transportation to the migrants as they passed in and out of Indonesia,'€ West Java Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Martinus Sitompul said in Cianjur on Monday, as quoted by the Antara news agency.

According to the police investigation, the two suspects, identified only as IP, 38, and H, 35, also helped the migrants find shelter in Indonesia before proceeding to Australia.

In the past several years, Indonesia has become an increasingly popular transit point for migrants from various countries seeking to get to Australia.

Some Indonesians have taken advantage of this movement of people to look for easy money by offering transportation to reach Australia.

The Australian government recently put into effect a stricter immigration policy to prevent migrants entering the country illegally. The Australian government had introduced a range of offshore immigration procedures to deter the smuggling of migrants, Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Greg Moriarty said in a statement made available on Friday.

'€œWe remain committed to working in close partnership with our neighbors in order to strengthen regional capabilities and border security for combating human smuggling and other transnational crimes,'€ he said.